The West Coast Times. THURSDAY JUNE 13, 1912. TO-DAY’S CONFERENCE.

West Coast Times, 13 June 1912, Page 2

The West Coast Times. THURSDAY JUNE 13, 1912. TO-DAY’S CONFERENCE.

At the invitation of the Westland Hospitals and Charitable Aid Board, representatives of the various contributing local bodies will meet to-day for the purpose of discussing charitable, aid matters. The question of the Board’s affairs has been very much in evidence of late and we are sure that considerable interest is bound to centre round the conference. We need hardly go back to the time, nearly twelve months-'ago, when the agitation for information was first started, except to say that those members of the Board who looked upon tho efforts then made as savouring of tiiat “ cursed election” have yet to acknowledge to the public that they either did not know as much about the maladministration of tho affairs of tho Board, of which they were members, as did many people outside the Board, or that they purposely derided tho demand • for cnquiry in order that tho Board’s affairs should not be thoroughly investigated. Wo leave those gentlemen to supply tne answer. Whether to-dav’s confer-

ejico accomplishes much or little cle- ' IWids upon the temper of the delegates. Whether the deliberations of the Conference will bring any lasting benefit remains to bo seen. That there is grave need for economy in the conduct of the Board’s affairs is plain to everybody—even now to the members of the Board themselves. The question naturally arises as to the direc- , tior. in which such economy can bo ef- ,

fected. It is therefore opportune tc consider, how the Conference can succeed. Tip to the present a section of iho members of the Board have shown themselves somewhat irritated at the persistency with which the Borough Council and the people have demanded frank and open discussion. And upon the subjugating of that spirit rests the hope of Sticcess to-day. We do not see how much progress can be made unless the representatives of the Charitable Aid Board are prepared to submit to the Conference for dissection the whole of the affairs of the Board. Nothing will be gained by verbose reiteration or desultory discussion. We have had enough of that already. The delegates want to be fed on facts and facts alone. Then only can* they approach the question of instilling a ■greater measure of economical administration into the conduct of the Board’s affairs with any reasonable chance of success, dt must be eyi-‘ dent to everybody that money is not

going to Bo saved in lump sums of ' . £SOO, But that it is the practice of saving a guinea here and a couple of guineas there that is going to'lift the Board out of the financial mire into which its recklessness or i its carelessness has ! landed it. The question of travelling expenses has been much before the public and the majority of the people have come to the conclusion that the meetings of a Charitable Aid Board or the visiting of the Hospital should not be converted into money making propositions. In this connection it must Be admitted that the amounts drawn by some of the members were out of all reason, while the large amount of travelling expenses and allowances drawn by the secretary in addition to his Salary, make us wonder whether the general handling of the finances through channels which have not yet been investigated has b9en of the same scatter-cash order 'as has been proved was the case in the matters investigated by the Borough Council’s sub-committee. That is the whole crux of the question and wo do not sec where the conference is to succeed unless the representatives as placed in possession of all the details appertaining to the administration of the finances of the Board. The whole question is one for the Government to undertake, and that an exhaustive enquiry is absolutely necessary needs little argument ; the only question remaining to be decided is by whom the inquiry should be undertaken. In our opinion the whole business is one for the Government, and were two experienced officers of tiro Audit Department commissioned to make an exhaustive • and expert examination of the Board’s affairs and submit a detailed report to the Government and also to the contributory bodies, some solid foundation would he available upon which to base a scheme of financial economy compat- | ibio with' efficiency of administration • and the generous distribution of assistance ,to those' whoso linos are not cast in over pleasant places.